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In 2009 the bus lane was installed as part of the Greater Bristol Bus Network project and funded by the then Labour Government.

The cost of the scheme, at nearly £1,200 a metre, led to it receiving media coverage across the country and in Europe.

Funding

The A367 Odd Down bus lane (Image: Paulgillisphoto.com)

In a lengthy statement, the council said: “The bus lane was part of the Greater Bristol Bus Network (GBBN) major scheme which was funded by the Department for Transport, not B&NES. The work did not result therefore in cutting budgets from youth services and other departments.

“It was one of a package of measures that were put in place on this corridor as well as two other corridors in Bath and North East Somerset.

“All were funded by the Department for Transport as part of the Greater Bristol Bus Network scheme."

Aim

Installation in 2009

“The purpose of the bus lane was to enable buses coming into Bath from Radstock and Peasedown St John, each of them carrying up to 50 people, to bypass the slow-moving queue of cars, and thereby help the buses to operate punctually and encourage more car-users to use the bus services.

“The investment by the Department for Transport in this, and other bus priority measures on this corridor, encouraged a small bus operator (Somerbus) to launch a new bus service, from Peasedown St John to Bath in 2010, and encouraged First to enhance their services along the corridor.

Planned changes

Is this the end of the Odd Down bus lane as we know it? (Image: www.paulgillisphoto.com)

“Traffic flows have changed since 2009 and new housing developments are planned, so it was timely to review the current allocation of road space.

“Recent modelling based on current and predicted traffic flows, shows that the proposal will have a beneficial effect on all traffic with no detriment to bus journey times.

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“Consultation will now take place on the proposal to open up the bus lane for all traffic going into Bath and restrict the other lane (the current general traffic running lane) to traffic turning right into the park and ride site.”

The Chronicle has have asked the council to elaborate on what is meant by ‘consultation’.